The sun shines through the smoke from the Las Conchas wildfire near the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, June 29, 2011
Whether you are taking off for the holiday weekend, or taking in the fireworks from home, these links will get you in the stars-and-stripes spirit.
What Would The Founding Fathers Think? Browse the most heinous and kitschy patriotic souvenirs on the market. (Huffington Post)
America The Beautiful: Check out these stunning images by photographer Phil Bergerson, who spent 20 years road-tripping the country. (TIME)
Retrospective: See Independence Day celebration photos from World War I through the 1960s. (LIFE)
Rock-a-Bye Baby: A new study says that rocking lulls you into a deeper sleep, so hog the hammock this weekend. (NPR)
MythBusters: If you didn’t know that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4, then you better read this article, which debunks the myths about the holiday. (National Geographic)
KABOOM! This Popular Science video shows fireworks blowing up ordinary household items in slow motion. (Don’t try this at home.) (The Daily What)
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